KR101240391B1 - Lift pin assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention, the lift pin for supporting the substrate; A lift pin guide having a through hole through which the lift pin penetrates, and an inner wall of the through hole provided with lubrication means for lubricating the lift pin to guide a lifting direction of the lift pin; It is configured to include a housing provided with the lift pin guide therein, the lift pin in the interior of the lift pin guide in the chamber of the deposition equipment for manufacturing the LCD, and the like to make the lift pin more freely lifting the mutual between the lift pin and the guide It provides a lift pin assembly that can prevent the lift pin from breaking due to friction.

Thin film deposition, susceptors, lift pins, guides

Description

Lift pin assembly

1A and 1B are process diagrams illustrating a process in which a substrate is loaded to a process position in a plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus which deposits a thin film on a substrate using plasma;

Figures 2a and 2b is a longitudinal sectional view and a cross-sectional view showing a coupling state of the lift pin and the lift pin guide according to the prior art.

FIG. 2C is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the strain is deformed due to the thermal deformation of the susceptor and the load of the substrate; FIG.

Figure 3a is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a coupling state of the lift pin and the lift pin guide according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

3B is a cross-sectional perspective view of the lift pin guide of FIG. 3A.

3C is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3A.

Figure 4a is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a coupling state of the lift pin and the lift pin guide according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

4B is a cross-sectional perspective view of the lift pin guide of FIG. 4A.

4C is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 4A.

Figure 5a is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a coupling state of the lift pin and the lift pin guide according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional perspective view of the lift pin guide of FIG. 5A. FIG.

5C is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 5A.

5D is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the outer guide of FIG. 5C is disassembled.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a coupling state of the lift pin and the lift pin guide according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the Related Art [0002]

100: lift pin 110: head

120: stem 130: step

200: lift pin guide 201, 203, 205: inner guide

202, 204a, 204b, 206a, 206b: outer guide

210: through hole 220: lubrication means, ball

230: seating hole 232: first seating hole

234: second seating hole 240: cover

300: housing 310: locking jaw

320: coupler

The present invention relates to a lift pin assembly, and more particularly, to a lift pin assembly provided inside an LCD deposition apparatus to guide a lifting direction of a susceptor.

In general, a liquid crystal display (LCD) is an electronic device that transmits various electrical signals generated by various devices to visual information by using a change in transmittance of liquid crystal according to an applied voltage. The liquid crystal display device includes an electrode for applying an electric field to the liquid crystal layer, a thin film transistor for switching data supply for each liquid crystal cell, a signal line for supplying data supplied from the outside to the liquid crystal cell, and a control signal for the thin film transistor. And a lower plate provided with signal wirings, a top plate formed with a color filter, a spacer provided between the upper and lower plates to secure a constant cell gap, and a liquid crystal filled in a space provided by the spacer.

On the other hand, the manufacturing of the liquid crystal display device as described above is a thin film deposition process for depositing a dielectric material or the like on a wafer or glass (hereinafter referred to as a substrate), and using a photosensitive material to expose or conceal the selected region of the thin film A photolithography process, an etching process for removing the thin film of the selected region and patterning as desired, and a cleaning process for removing residue, are completed by repeating the above steps several times. The optimum environment for the process is carried out inside the chamber. Among these, the thin film deposition process is a process of depositing an active layer included in the channel portion of the thin film transistor and a protective film for protecting the thin film transistor on the substrate. Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition is used to deposit a thin film on the substrate using plasma. ; PECVD) method is used.

1A and 1B are process diagrams illustrating a process of loading a substrate to a process position in a PECVD apparatus for depositing a thin film on a substrate using plasma.

Looking at the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus first, a constant reaction space is formed therein, the chamber 10 is provided on the side wall and the door (D) for entering and exiting the substrate (S), the substrate (S) is mounted on the upper surface A susceptor 20 positioned inside the chamber 10, a gas distribution plate 40 for injecting process gas from the upper portion of the susceptor 20 through a plurality of injection holes 42, and an external gas storage unit; It is connected to (not shown) and includes a gas inlet pipe 80 and a gas discharge port (not shown) for introducing a process gas through the gas distribution plate 40.

The gas distribution plate 40 may be integrally coupled with the plasma electrode 50 to which RF power is applied from the RF power source 60, and between the plasma electrode 50 and the RF power source 60, the plasma electrode ( An impedance matching box 70 is installed to match the path impedance so that maximum power can be applied to 50). The electrode corresponding to the plasma electrode 50 becomes a grounded susceptor 20, and in some cases, the RF energy is also connected to the susceptor 20 to control the plasma energy incident to the substrate S. . In addition, a buffer space 52 is formed between the plasma electrode 50 and the gas distribution plate 40 to first diffuse the process gas introduced into the gas inlet pipe 80 so that the process gas is injected through the injection hole 42. Allows to spray uniformly.

Meanwhile, a plurality of lift pin holes 21 penetrating up and down are formed in the susceptor 20, and the lift pins 30 are coupled to each lift pin hole 21, and the lift pins 30 are formed of a substrate ( S) is used to seat or unload the susceptor 20. A head having a large diameter is formed at an upper end of the lift pin 30, and a corresponding locking jaw is formed at an upper portion of the lift pin hole 21. When the substrate S is loaded into the chamber 10 and seated on the susceptor 20, as shown in FIG. 1A, the susceptor 20 is lowered to lower the lower end of the lift pin 30. 10, the upper end of the lift pin 30 protrudes to the top of the susceptor 20 by contacting the bottom surface, and the substrate S loaded through the door D is seated on the protruding lift pin 30. .

After the substrate S is seated on the lift pins 30, the susceptor 20 is raised to the process position before the thin film deposition process is performed. The lift pins 30 are driven separately. Since the head of the lift pin 30 is caught by the upper engaging jaw of the through-hole when the susceptor 20 is raised since the freely coupled state with respect to the susceptor 20, the substrate seated on the lift pin 30 It is naturally seated on the upper surface of the susceptor 20.

If the susceptor 20 continues to rise to the process position even after the substrate is placed on the upper surface, the lift pin 30 is processed together with the susceptor 20 in a state where the lift pin 30 is suspended from the susceptor 20, as shown in FIG. Will rise to position.

After finishing the process at the process position, the susceptor 20 is lowered again, and when the lower end of the lift pin 30 suspended on the susceptor 20 touches the bottom of the chamber 10, as shown in FIG. 1A. Similarly, the upper end of the lift pin 30 is protruded to the upper part of the susceptor 20 again, and the robot entered through the door 40 enters between the susceptor 20 and the substrate S to lift the substrate S. Will be taken out.

In the above, the lift pin 30 plays an essential role in placing the substrate in the susceptor 20 or removing the substrate S from the susceptor 20, and periodically moves up and down through the lift pin hole 21. It can be seen.

The susceptor 20 is usually made of aluminum and has a heater therein for preheating the substrate. The lift pin 30 penetrating the susceptor is made of a ceramic material such as alumina (Al ₂ O ₃ ), is made longer than the thickness of the susceptor, the lower end of the lift pin 30 when the susceptor 20 is lowered The bottom surface of the chamber 10 is first produced.

In addition, in order to prevent plasma from being formed in the lift pin hole 21 vertically penetrating through the susceptor 20, an lift pin guide 100 made of an insulating material is further added to the inner wall of the lift pin hole 21. To combine.

Figure 2a is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a coupling state of the lift pin and the lift pin guide according to the prior art, Figure 2b is a cross-sectional view showing a coupling state of the lift pin and the lift pin guide according to the prior art.

Referring to FIG. 2A, the lift pin guide 90 is a tubular structure having a through hole 91 penetrating up and down in the center thereof, and is inserted and fixed from the lower part of the susceptor 20, and the lift pin 30. A lift pin head 32 is formed at an upper end thereof so as to be caught by the locking jaw 22 of the upper surface of the susceptor.

The upper and lower portions of the lift pin guide 90 are respectively formed with a line contact portion 92 or a surface contact portion 93 inward from the inner wall, which are lift pins 30 which are lifted through the lift pin guide 90. It is to maintain the vertical as possible by fixing the upper and lower.

When the susceptor 20 descends, even after the lower end of the lift pin 30 touches the bottom of the chamber, the susceptor 20 further descends a predetermined distance, wherein the lift pin 30 is lowered if the lift pin 30 is inclined. Since the lift pin 30 may be damaged by the acceptor 20, the lift pin 30 should be maintained as vertical as possible to prevent this.

However, in the conventional deposition apparatus configured as described above, while the lift pin 30 in the susceptor 20 is lifted by the external driving means, the robot moves the substrate S into the chamber 10 to lift the lift pin. 30, the substrate S is bent as shown in FIG. 2C due to the heat deformation of the susceptor 20 and the load of the substrate S, thereby causing the lift pin 30 to be inclined.

As the lift pin 30 is inclined, the lift pin 30 presses the lift pin guide 90 at the point E of FIG. 2C, and thus the diagonal line between the lift pin 30 and the lift pin guide 90. Direction, the friction force increases, and in this state, when the susceptor 20 descends for unloading the substrate S, a momentary shear force is generated by the friction force, and the lift pin 30 is broken. Losing situation occurs.

If the lift pin 30 is damaged, the equipment must be stopped in order to replace the broken lift pin 30, which not only causes a great effect on the productivity of the equipment, but also damages the substrate S placed thereon. It is more likely to wear or break. In addition, when the substrate (S) is broken, there is a high possibility that other components of the substrate processing equipment may be damaged in series by the plasma, and thus the damage is large.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a lift pin assembly that allows the lift pin to move up and down more freely in the lift pin guide in a chamber of a deposition apparatus for manufacturing an LCD, etc., to solve the above-mentioned problems.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a lift pin assembly that can prevent the lift pin is damaged due to mutual friction between the lift pin and the guide.

The lift pin assembly of the present invention for achieving the above object, the lift pin for supporting the substrate; A lift pin guide having a through hole through which the lift pin penetrates, and an inner wall of the through hole provided with lubrication means in point contact with the lift pin to guide the lift pin in a lifting direction; It is configured to include a housing provided with the lift pin guide therein.

Hereinafter, each embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Example 1

Figure 3a is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a coupling state of the lift pin and the lift pin guide according to the first embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3b is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the lift pin guide of Figure 3a, Figure 3c is a Cross section view.

As shown in the drawing, the first embodiment includes a lift pin 100 for supporting a substrate, a lift pin guide 200 for guiding a lifting direction of the lift pin 100, and the lift pin guide therein. It is configured to include a housing 300 is provided with (200).

The lift pin 100 is used to seat the substrate (S in FIG. 1A) on the upper surface of the susceptor 20 or to separate the substrate S from the upper surface of the susceptor 20 when being taken out. 110 and a stem 120 protruding a predetermined length downward from the head 110. At this time, the stem 120 is formed with a smaller diameter than the head 110, so that the step portion 130 is formed at the connection portion between the head 110 and the stem 120, the step portion 130 is Corresponding to the locking step 22 formed in the lift pin hole 21 of the susceptor 20 to prevent the lift pin 100 from being separated from the lift pin hole 21.

The lift pin guide 200 is a tubular structure having a through hole 210 formed therein. The through hole 210 is formed to penetrate through the upper and lower centers of the lift pin guide 200. The lift pin 100 is coupled through. In addition, the inner wall of the through hole 210 is provided with lubrication means 220 in point contact with the lift pin 100 to minimize the friction force generated when the lift pin 100 is raised and lowered. In this embodiment, the ball is exemplified as the lubrication means 220, but is not limited thereto. In another example, a cylindrical lubrication means may be disposed perpendicularly to the central axis of the lift pin 100.

On the other hand, the side wall of the lift pin guide 200 is formed with a seating hole 230 for the lubrication means (hereinafter referred to as ball 220) is formed, the ball 220 is inserted into the seating hole 230 In the state is inserted into the housing 300 is coupled. At this time, the ball 220 is inserted to protrude to the outside of the seating hole 230, that is, the lift pin 100 side is in contact with the lift pin 100, the lift pin guide 200 is It is fixed inside the housing 300.

In this case, in order to maintain the lift pin 100 in a vertical state, the lift pin guide 200 is preferably provided at both upper and lower ends of the housing 300, and in particular, the ball 220 in contact with the lift pin 100. ) Is more preferably provided three or more symmetrically with each other on the same plane. In the present embodiment, four balls 220 are provided on the same plane, and the four balls 220 are arranged at equal intervals from each other, and the heights protruding toward the lift pin 100 are also the same.

The housing 300 is also a tubular structure, as described above, the lift pin guide 200 is provided therein, and a locking jaw 310 is formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof. The locking jaw 310 is formed to prevent the housing 300 from being separated from the susceptor 20 in a state in which it is coupled with the susceptor 20, and in this embodiment, the housing 300 is susceptor. A separate coupler 320 is further provided to be firmly fixed to the 20. The coupler 320 is in contact with the housing 300 and a part of the susceptor 20 and is screwed to the susceptor 20 to fix the housing 300.

Since each component 100, 200, 300 of the present embodiment as described above is always exposed to the process gas, it is preferable to be made of a ceramic material or an insulating material with high corrosion resistance.

[Example 2]

4A is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a coupling state of a lift pin and a lift pin guide according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional perspective view illustrating the lift pin guide of FIG. 4A, and FIG. 4C is a view of FIG. 4A. Cross section view.

As shown in the drawing, the second embodiment includes a lift pin 100 for supporting a substrate, a lift pin guide 200 for guiding the lifting direction of the lift pin 100, and the lift pin guide therein ( It is configured to include a housing 300 is provided with a 200. In addition, a separate coupler 320 is further provided to allow the housing 300 to be firmly fixed to the susceptor 20.

In this case, the lift pin guide 200 is composed of an inner guide 201 positioned on the lift pin 100 and an outer guide 202 into which the inner guide 201 is inserted and coupled.

The lift pin guide 200 has an inner guide 201 in which a seating hole 230 in which the ball 220 is seated is formed on the side wall, and a hollow cylindrical outer guide in which the inner guide 201 is inserted into and coupled to the inner guide 201. 202. Looking at the structure in more detail, in the side wall of the inner guide 201 is formed a seating hole 230 for seating the ball 220, the ball 220 is inserted into the seating hole 230 Is coupled to the inside of the outer guide 202, the ball 220 is inserted to protrude to the outside of the seating hole 230, that is, the lift pin 100 side is in point contact with the lift pin 100 do. The outer guide 202 is composed of a plurality of pieces (preferably two) cut in the longitudinal direction is coupled to surround the outside of the inner guide 201 in which the ball 220 is seated in the seating hole 230 It may be.

Here, the seating hole 230 and the ball 220 inserted into the seating hole 230 are provided in plural and are arranged in a line along the lifting direction of the lift pin 100. This is to maintain the vertical in the state in which the lift pin 100 is penetrated, coupled to the through hole 210 formed in the lift pin guide 200, the ball 220 is provided with four on the same plane, The four balls 220 are arranged at equal intervals from each other, and the height protruding toward the lift pin side is also the same.

In this embodiment of the above configuration, a predetermined gap is formed between an inner wall of the housing 300 and an outer wall of the lift pin guide 200, and an upper portion of the lift pin guide 200, that is, of the housing 300. A predetermined space is provided at an inner upper end of the bar, and when the lift pin 100 is lifted, the lift pin guide 200 is lifted by a predetermined height along the lift pin 100, thereby increasing the friction force generated when the lift pin 100 is lifted. Can be further reduced.

[Example 3]

5A is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a coupling state of a lift pin and a lift pin guide according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional perspective view illustrating the lift pin guide of FIG. 5A. 5C is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 5A, and FIG. 5D is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the outer guide of FIG. 5C is disassembled.

As shown in the drawing, the third embodiment includes a lift pin 100 for supporting a substrate, a lift pin guide 200 for guiding the lifting direction of the lift pin 100, and the lift pin guide therein ( It is configured to include a housing 300 is provided with a 200. In addition, a separate coupler 320 is further provided to allow the housing 300 to be firmly fixed to the susceptor 20.

 In this case, the lift pin guide 200 is composed of an inner guide 203 positioned on the lift pin side and a pair of outer guides 204a and 204b coupled to surround the outside of the inner guide 203. .

The lift pin guide 200 includes an inner guide 203 having a seating hole 230 on which the ball 220 is seated, and a hollow cylindrical outer guide coupled to surround the outside of the inner guide 203. 204a, 204b. Looking at the structure in more detail, a first seating hole 232 is formed on the side wall of the inner guide 203, the ball 220 is seated, the ball 220 in the first seating hole 232 In the inserted state, the pair of outer guides 204a and 204b are coupled to surround the outside of the inner guide 203. In this case, a second seating hole 234 is formed on a sidewall of the outer guides 204a and 204b at a position corresponding to the first seating hole 232, and the ball 220 is the first seating hole 232. ) And the outside of the second seating hole 234, that is, partially protruded to the lift pin 100 side and the housing side 300 to be in point contact with the lift pin 100 and the housing 300. On the other hand, the upper and lower ends of the lift pin guide 200 is further provided with a cover 240 for maintaining the coupled state of the lift pin guide 200.

Here, the first and second seating holes 232 and 234 and the balls 220 inserted into the first and second seating holes 232 and 234 are provided in plural numbers and are arranged in a line along the lifting direction of the lift pin 100. Are arranged. This is to maintain the vertical in the state in which the lift pin 100 is penetrated, coupled to the through hole 210 formed in the lift pin guide 200, the ball 220 is provided with four on the same plane, The four balls 200 are arranged at equal intervals from each other, the height is also the same protruding. On the other hand, the outer guide may be preferably separated by the number of balls provided on the same plane.

In this embodiment of the above configuration, a gap is formed between an inner wall of the housing 300 and an outer wall of the lift pin guide 200, and an upper portion of the lift pin guide 200, that is, an inner side of the housing 300. A predetermined space is provided at an upper end of the bar, and thus the lift pin guide 200 is lifted by a certain height along the lift pin 100 when the lift pin 100 is lifted, thereby reducing the friction force generated when the lift pin 100 is lifted. You can. In addition, the ball 220 protruding to the outside of the lift pin guide 200 is in point contact with the housing 300 can further reduce the friction force generated when the lift pin is raised and lowered.

Example 4

Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a coupling state of the lift pin and the lift pin guide according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, the fourth embodiment includes a lift pin 100 for supporting a substrate, a lift pin guide 200 for guiding the lifting direction of the lift pin 100, and the lift pin guide therein ( It is configured to include a housing 300 is provided with a 200. In this case, the guide 200 is composed of an inner guide 205 positioned on the lift pin side, and a pair of outer guides 206a and 206b coupled to surround the outside of the inner guide 205.

Wherein the lift pin guide 200 is provided with a plurality is arranged in a line along the lifting direction of the lift pin 100, the plurality of lift pin guide 200 are each independently in the housing 300 It is stored to be fluid. That is, the plurality of lift pin guides 200 are not spaced apart from each other but are spaced apart from the inner surface of the housing 300 by a predetermined distance.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, since the lift pin guide 200 flows independently as described above, the lift pin 100 is lifted in a state in which the lift pin 100 is inclined at an angle by the weight of the substrate (S of FIG. 1A). It is possible to prevent the shear force generated when.

As described above, the configuration and operation of the lift pin assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown in accordance with the above description and drawings, but this is merely described for example and within the scope not departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications are possible.

Lift pin assembly of the present invention as described above is provided in the chamber of the deposition equipment for manufacturing the LCD, such that the lift pin can be lifted more freely inside the lift pin guide. In addition, by providing a plurality of lubrication means in the lift pin guide can minimize the friction force generated between the lift pin and the guide as the lift pin is inclined, thereby preventing the lift pin from being damaged.

In addition, by using the rotatable ball (Ball) in the lubrication means can be reduced due to the rotational force of the ball to prevent the phenomenon that the lift pin is broken can have the additional effect of improving productivity and increasing the PM cycle.

Claims (10)

Susceptor; A lift pin supporting the substrate; A lift pin guide through which the lift pin penetrates, and an inner wall of the through hole is provided with lubrication means for lubricating the lift pin to guide the lift pin in a lifting direction; A housing inserted into the susceptor and fixed to the housing and having the lift pin guide fixed thereto; A coupler contacting a portion of the housing below the susceptor to secure the housing to the susceptor, The lift pin guides are provided at upper and lower ends of the housing, respectively, and an outer surface thereof is fixed to the housing, and an upper surface of the upper lift pin guide contacts the susceptor. The method of claim 1, Lift pin assembly, characterized in that the lubricating means is a ball. delete delete delete 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The lift pin guide includes an inner guide having a first seating hole on which the lubricating means is seated and formed on a side wall, and an outer guide surrounding the inner guide. The lubrication means is a lift pin assembly, characterized in that protruding in part to the lift pin side through the first seating hole. delete delete delete delete

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